EXPECTATION
Before the experience, what did you think would happen?
I thought before going to the conference that I wouldn't really fit in as much. I see myself as a leader but I had no idea what Rotary or RYLA even was. Once my college counselor told me more about it and I did some of my own research, I realized that it would be a good fit for me and I have never been to anything like this before. I expected to learn more than I already knew about leadership. Aside from the conference itself, I also expected to experience more of a college life since I was staying in a dorm.
What did you expect to gain from an educational stand-point?
I felt that I would gain more knowledge about leadership and carry that onto my peers at school. I also expected to gain more personal skills from the activities and learn more about myself as a person. I would expect to use the skills that I'd learn and use them throughout the rest of my years in school.
What new knowledge did you hope to gain from this experience?
I really wanted to learn more about leadership as whole, more than what I already knew. Besides that, I mainly wanted to learn more about RYLA and what it really was and its main purpose. I have never heard about it so I thought it would be interesting to see what it really is and learn if I fit into it. I also hoped to learn about the college life and staying in a dorm. Ohio University is one of the colleges I am intereted in so it was a great time for me to get the feel of the campus.
What new relationships did you gain from this experience?
I was able to meet and work with students from all over Ohio, and even some students that I already knew. I didn't expect most of the students to be just like me and I got along with everyone there. I also spent a lot of time with the staff and they were really nice and taught me a lot about being a leader. They really made me fit in when I didn't feel like I did. I still talk to some people from th experience and I am happy that I got the chance to meet them and go through the experience with them.
How did you think you would benefit from your involvement?
I thought that I would benefit from working with new people and going out of my comfort zone. I've never been apart of anything like this so i knew that it would be better for me next time when I attended something else like it in the future. Most importantly, I believed that I would benefit from the learning experience of being a leader and carry that onto my teammates at soccer and my peers at school.